NFA to engage civil society groups for rice monitoring

Aware of its limitations in monitoring rice supply, the National Food Authority (NFA) is signing agreements with non-government institutions in a program aimed to curb wastage, smuggling, price
manipulation and other illegal activities on the country's staple food.

The agency is pushing for "Bantay Bigas," a joint effort with the private sector to monitor the movement of rice in localities to guard against hoarding, price manipulation, illegal repacking and
other activities that cut off the poor from the inexpensive but quality rice due them.

On Wednesday, the NFA signed its first memorandum of agreement under Bantay Bigas with Kaya Natin! Movement, a civil society organization that promotes good governance.

The partnership under Bantay Bigas will help NFA in ensuring rice supply, while the agency works to sanitize its ranks, Presidential Adviser on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization
Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said in the same brieing.

He noted that 18 provincial managers and inspectors had to go through disciplinary action because of illegal activities done in their locality.

"In a way it's good because we would like to make sure we set the tone, that we will not tolerate excesses or abuse," Pangilinan said.